Seven Days
by WindlessHarmony
Summary: "I wanna die naturally ... No drugs, no painkillers, no ... anything. And I wanna be buried ... somewhere nice, where the weather's warm." He pauses, taking a heaving breath. "It's pleasant outside ... and the breeze feels nice in your hair. Yeah ... something like that." Shizaya.


I wrote this for my waifu because angst, angst everywhere. I hope you enjoy and please don't kill me! ;w; And I understand that Shizuo might be a little ooc, but at that point, he already knows that something's wrong, so his attitude has changed beforehand.

* * *

He found out something was wrong with him two weeks ago. The disease is fatal, and in three weeks, he will die. It will slowly make him weaker and weaker, until nothing can make his heart work any longer. His mind isn't prepared to hear such a statement. He didn't say anything to anyone, nor did he bother with going anywhere. He simply sat in his apartment and let everything sink in.

* * *

The first week is filled with high fevers and weakness so bad that he can't even move his arms. Yet he wants to move them. His muscles ache so badly that he can barely stand it, but his body won't allow him to move. In that time period, he does not eat, because whatever he consumes comes right back up again in mere minutes. Finally, after trying the first three days to eat, he gives up on it. If nothing will stay down, then there's no use in trying. There's no reason in wasting perfectly good food. The first week, a certain man shows up on his doorstep, and he's fired from his job. Oh well; he doesn't have long anyway.

* * *

The second week consists of cold showers and dizzy spells. He's lost a lot of weight, can barely hold himself upright, and seems to be a ghost of his former self. His body has started to simply fade away, and Izaya's okay with that. At least, he thought he was okay with it. Something has been nagging him in the back of his mind, not allowing him to simply _give up _just yet. Oh he wants to, wants to so badly that he could literally reach out and touch his need like it was a tangible thing. Izaya can't quite figure out just what it is, but he keeps trying.

* * *

Shinra makes regular visits.

In the beginning, Izaya did his usual banter and they spoke about things that had no concern in their lives whatsoever, just like old times. But as things progress onwards, Izaya starts to fall more and more into silence, unable to talk for long periods of time. He's panting nowadays whenever he says a few words; it's hard for him to even lift things. Shinra knows how much Izaya is suffering, but pain medication does nothing to stop the hurt that burns through those muscles. The underground doctor simply visits, checks his vitals and makes sure he's still alive, and then leaves Izaya alone, just like he wants.

Izaya would have his remaining family over, but it would be unfair to make them watch him suffer. His two sisters will have to wait. Even though that is selfish of him, he cannot bear to see their faces. Seeing them in distress over how much weight he has lost would cause him more pain than his body does; it would crush him to know that he caused it.

He spends his time curled up on one of his expensive leather couches. Izaya has other places to relax, like his bed and his personal couches, but for some reason they make his back hurt more than it should. Namie visited him every day. She didn't complain when he asked for small amounts of coffee or hot cocoa; they were the only things that managed to soothe his sore throat. His body was unable to keep the liquids down for very long, but they did help. And when he did happen to vomit them back up, Namie was there to rub his back. It was a strange conveying of emotions, but Izaya was grateful for it.

He was awfully lonely after she left.

* * *

The bleeding starts on the Wednesday of the second week. It starts small, running from small cuts in his mouth. But that doesn't last. It starts leaking from his eyes and nose, but there is nothing he can do about it. Izaya can only wipe it away and hope it stops.

* * *

Izaya mentioned it once when Shinra was getting his vitals on the next day. The doctor wipes away the blood leaking from his eyes and nose without flinching, but Izaya can see the pain that Shinra is going through. Dull crimson eyes stared up at the ceiling of his house, a pale, spidery hand resting on his stomach. "It'd be nice to see ... Shizu-chan again ..." He realized that this was the thing that wouldn't allow him to simply pass on. And that sudden realization caused him to expel the small amount of water that Shinra had managed to coax into him. He wasn't sure why he wanted to see the man so bad; maybe it was because he wanted to taunt the blonde a bit. No, that wasn't right. It couldn't possibly be right.

Right?

* * *

It's on the Friday of the second week that he first shows up. Well, he didn't exactly _show up_, so to speak. But he stopped by. Izaya was lost in a fitful sleep at that time, and Namie answered the door. She refused to let him in, but Shizuo promised he would be back on Sunday, as early in the morning as he could.

When Izaya was told this, he simply smiled, hand tightening around the small white teddy bear that Shizuo had given to Namie. It seemed this would be his friend.

* * *

**The First Day: Sunday.**

True to his words, Shizuo showed up on his doorstep. Izaya watched with slightly narrowed eyes as Namie led him into the livingroom. The raven flinched as pain went through him; these random attacks were quite common now. A small trickle of blood escapes the corner of his right eye, which Namie wipes away without comment. She meets Shizuo's eyes, before turning and leaving the room.

Izaya can't figure out whether the man wants to punch him or leave. The blonde sinks onto the couch opposite of him, and for the first few minutes, they simply sit in silence. He's the one who breaks the silence. "Shizu-chan ..." His voice is hoarse and weak, and Namie appears almost instantly with a small cup of hot chocolate. She coaxes it down his throat, and Izaya lays against the couch panting as a fever begins to set in. He lays there for a bit, before the hot chocolate decides to come back up. Instead of Namie, it's Shizuo rubbing his back and holding the garbage can. It takes a few seconds before he's able to at least try to breathe normally again.

He leans back on the couch, his eyes bleeding again. Shizuo wipes that away too. Izaya's surprised that the man hasn't tried to hit him yet. Maybe the blonde is looking down on him; Izaya can't find it in him to care. "... you're an idiot, letting yourself end up like this."

The raven doesn't say anything for a long while, simply staring up at the ceiling. Shizuo goes and sits down again, and the only sound in the room is the ticking of the clock, Shizuo's steady breathing, and Izaya's raspy panting. "I know ... Shizu-chan." The blonde reaches out and sets something on the table. "I have to go. Don't die on me."

WIth that, Shizuo leaves his apartment.

Izaya glances over at the table; it's a small necklace with a silver locket on the end. He opens it; inside is a picture of them from their highschool days.

He smiles.

* * *

**The Second Day: Monday.**

It starts raining outside.

Izaya asks Namie to open the curtains; he wants to see the water hit the window. The sound of water against the glass soothes him into sleep, this time without coughing or any sort of pain. It's his first full nap in the last three weeks. He feels hungry, but his stomach does not growl, nor does it crave; his body is already too far gone to eat.

His thin fingers move up to grasp the locket wrapped around his throat. Today, he feels surprisingly healthy, but he knows that it'll go away after a little while; that's just normal. The fever is gone, and his ears and nose aren't bleeding. That's good for the moment.

Shizuo shows up early that day. He looks waterlogged, drops of rain falling onto Izaya's floor. Namie gets him a towel, and the blonde dries himself off. Instead of sitting today, however, he continues to stand there, with Izaya staring at him in uncertainty. After a few moments, Shizuo sways on his feet, bones creaking with the strain. He moves over to Izaya, sitting by his feet. The raven flinches as a large hand presses against his leg. Izaya watches as Shizuo squeezes a bit, those warm eyes widening as they realize something.

The man looks up, and their eyes meet. "You've gotten ... thin." Izaya isn't sure whether to laugh or cry. Out of all the things to possibly say to him, like 'I hate you' or 'I hope you die,' this is the one that Shizuo chooses. Izaya simply smiles. "I don't eat much ... anymore."

Shizuo contemplates his words for a moment, letting out a shuddering sigh. The raven hesitates before his fingers uncurl from the locket. He holds out his hand. "There really isn't ... a reason to eat." The look in those eyes becomes angry, and the blonde rounds on him with anger that Izaya is so used to. "Of course there's a reason to eat, dumbass! You have to get better!" And, as if Shizuo can't believe he just said that, he simply stands up and shuts the door behind him as he leaves.

Izaya looks at the water-streaked windows, sees a flash of lighting in the distance, and smiles.

_Rain rain go away, come again another day._

* * *

**The Third Day: Tuesday.**

His health takes a turn for the worst. Shinra stops by as his fever continues to rise, his muscle spasms grow worse, and Izaya falls into unconsciousness. They think he might not make it through the day; Shizuo is there in less than half an hour. Shinra, Namie, and Shizuo sit vigil in the livingroom, all waiting for a sign that Izaya will be okay. The day is grim, the sky plastered with clouds. As Namie and Shinra step out to get something to eat and drink, Shizuo reaches out and takes Izaya's hand in his own.

"You can't leave yet. We still have a promise to fulfil."

Shizuo swears that he sees Izaya smile.

_Yeah, a promise to fulfil._

* * *

**The Fourth Day: Thursday.**

Izaya makes it through the night. It's a long struggle, and he doesn't make it through completely okay. He's weak, and he can't even lift his hands.

Shizuo stop by, holding a box of Izaya's favourite food. But still, the raven refuses to eat it. The blonde wants to force it down Izaya's throat, but he knows better than to assault a sickly person. Besides, it would just make it harder for him to get better, so he simply sets it on the kitchen counter.

"Hey Izaya ... what is it that you have, anyway?" The question is sudden and out of no where, and Shizuo thinks that perhaps the informant has passed out again. But after a moment of silence, Izaya heaves a breath and parts chapped lips. "Ebola ... hemorrhagic ... fever." The blonde has never heard of such a sickness before, but he waits until Izaya is ready to give a description of his unfortunate illness. "It's a terminal ... illness. Meaning that ... I'm going to die." He watches as Shizuo's eyes widen; had the man been under the impression that he could be saved? The raven sees the anger flicker through the monster's frame. It causes a smile to come across his features.

"The illness lasts for ... three weeks."

"How long have you known about it?"

"Three. This is ... my last week."

"And you didn't tell me sooner!?"

Izaya looks at Shizuo. "Why would I? You're ... supposed to hate me."

The blonde is shaking, the anger bright in his eyes. "When I said I wanted you dead, I didn't mean literally!"

The former informant laughs. "Shizu-chan is silly ... saying things like that."

He smiles at Shizuo. "I wanna die naturally ... No drugs, no painkillers, no ... anything. And I wanna be buried ... somewhere nice, where the weather's warm." He pauses, taking a heaving breath. "It's pleasant outside ... and the breeze feels nice in your hair. Yeah ... something like that."

Shizuo doesn't say anything in response to Izaya's dream.

To Izaya, it was like a game of hop-scotch; step on the right number and you made it through; step on the wrong number, and you were destined to fall. Izaya just chose the wrong number to step on somewhere in life.

_Fire, fire, false alarm, so-so fell into so-so's arms._

* * *

**The Fifth Day: Friday.**

Izaya sees a balloon float by his window. It's light blue, and he barely catches it as it moves on from his life. The clouds are white and puffy in the distance, the sky a soft blend of orange, red, and pink. Namie moves his pillow, propping him up against it so he can stare out across the city. It's beautiful in the morning, and Izaya wonders why he's never taken the chance to fully enjoy it. He grips his teddy bear a bit tighter, dull eyes scanning the skyline.

The doorbell rings, and Shizuo walks in holding a small box. Izaya glances over, watching as the man removes a bundle of cloth from it. It's unfolded, revealing a long blue blanket, which Shizuo drapes over Izaya's shivering body. "You looked so cold every time I stopped by, so I brought you something to keep you warm." Izaya nods his thanks, tugging it up underneath his chin. Their conversation is brief as Shinra stops by, this time with Celty in tow.

She simply stands there for a bit, almost as if she's watching him. Izaya gives the woman a sheepish smile. Celty types something out, showing it to Shizuo.

"She says that you better get well soon, otherwise she'll punch you herself."

Izaya's smile shifts, becoming warmer. "I'll do ... my best."

That night, instead of everyone leaving, they have a small party at his house. It's not really a party; but Namie, Shizuo, Celty, and Shinra are there. The four of them open a bottle of wine and toast to Izaya getting better. Namie coaxes some tea into him. Izaya has the most fun he has had in a while. After a few hours, all of them but the former informant and Celty are drunk. Namie passes out in his chair by the computer and Shinra on the other couch. Celty curls up with Shinra, and Izaya can't tell if she's asleep or not.

Shizuo passed out by the kitchen door.

But Izaya can't sleep. He continues to stare at the ceiling, whimpering from his muscle spasms and the fever slowly rising in his forehead. The raven wants a cold shower, but there's no way he can get there himself. So he simply suffers, just like he has been doing the past three weeks.

A hand presses against his moist forehead, brushing hair out of his eyes. Izaya looks up and sees Shizuo hovering above him. His entire body aches with pain, but there is nothing they can do. Shizuo continues to soothe him through it, running his hand through dark hair and whispering things that Izaya can't hear. But they make him feel better, and he's eventually coaxed into sleep. He thinks he hears a small 'I love you' leave the other male, but he's not sure, for he falls into a vivid dream the moment he passes out.

* * *

**The Sixth Day: Saturday.**

The pains grow worse. Izaya can't stop whimpering, and no matter what position he lays in or how many warm bathes he takes, they do nothing for him. His fever won't break either. Izaya is suffering from the disease that has slowly been killing him for the past three weeks.

Shinra guesses that it's finally time.

Shizuo runs as fast as he can. He nearly gets hit by a car- twice. He nearly breaks the door as he flies into Izaya's apartment. And he nearly trips over the couch trying to make it to Izaya's side. The raven is so far into the pain that he barely notices the blonde at all. He is babbling incoherently now, and Shizuo looks at Shinra with pleading eyes. "Please, make it stop. Make him stop hurting, Shinra. _Please_."

The doctor hesitates for a minute, swallowing down his nervousness. "I'll give him a sedative; Izaya himself told me that he wants to die naturally." Yes, Shizuo remembered that; the nice breeze, pleasant skies, and warm sunlight from above. He didn't like it, but he remembered it. Shinra eased the needle deep within Izaya's arm, and Shizuo watches as the liquid vanishes. He looks to Izaya's face, waiting.

After nearly five minutes, the brunette begins to calm down, his thrashing and whimpering turning into small twitches and quiet moans. Shizuo thinks he hears words, and has to lean close to hear them.

"I love you too ... Shizu-chan."

_All around the mulberry tree, the monkey and the weasel. All around the mulberry tree, pop goes the weasel!_

* * *

**The Seventh Day: Sunday.**

Izaya passes away early Sunday morning.

Shizuo is holding his hand when he goes. The informant smiles, a beautifully serene one, before he lets out a soft exhale of breath, and exits the living. For a few moments, the blonde is numb. He cradles the hand within his own, staring at the delicate hands, the oh so easily _breakable_ hands. The ones that he wanted to harm for so many years.

Shizuo doesn't say anything to Namie or Shinra, who are resting in the next room. Izaya's face is peaceful, the lines of stress and worry gone from pale features. He holds the brunette within his arms, wrapped in the blanket that he gave to him as a gift. For the first time in his entire life, Shizuo lets himself cry. The tears fall onto Izaya's lashes, making them sparkle in the rising sun. They slide down pale cheeks, and Shizuo lets out all of the emotions he has never expressed to anyone before.

"Hey dumbass ... send me some of that fatty tuna you like so much, alright?"

Shizuo holds the body of the one he never thought he'd see die against his chest, sunlight filtering through the window. At least Izaya will finally have his heaven now, even though the price for it was death.

The blonde smiles and whispers a single thing, "Ja Mata, little flea."

_End._


End file.
